On the cusp of Pope Francis’ first-ever visit to the US, as parishioners leave mass, abuse victims will hand out fliers urging church goers. The leaflets urges Archbishop Donald Wuerl to:

--disclose the names of other proven, admitted or credibly accused predators, and

--post all church predators’ names on his diocesan website and in church bulletins (like 30 US bishops have done).

The fliers also urge Catholic church members to

--question loved ones about these child molesting clerics (“Did any of these clerics ever hurt you?”) and

--prod anyone who has “seen, suspected or suffered clergy sex crimes of cover ups to call law enforcement.”

WHEN

Sunday, Sept. 20 from 10:30 am until noon

WHERE

On the sidewalk outside the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle, 1725 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, Washington DC

WHO

Five-six adults who were abused as kids by clerics (and their supporters) who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org)

WHY

While Catholic officials pretend that the continuing clergy sex abuse and cover up crisis is waning, thousands of proven, admitted and credibly accused predator priests are living among unsuspecting neighbors with little or no supervision. (Several hundred are on sex offender registries but most are not. And most have not been defrocked.)

For the safety of parishioners and the public, SNAP wants Pope Francis to “defrock, demote or discipline” bishops who continue to “protect predators and endanger kids,” especially by “keeping names of child molesting clerics secret and letting them live unsupervised and move elsewhere among unsuspecting families.”

For more than 25 years, SNAP has repeatedly urged bishops to “aggressively seek out and help” the thousands of victims “still trapped in silence, shame and self-blame.” But bishops refuse to do anything but the most minimal moves, the group contends.

So now, SNAP is prodding rank-and-file Catholics to take this step. Specifically, the organization is asking parishioners to circulate lists of publicly accused predator priests in their dioceses and ask loved ones if any of them were hurt by any of the priests. http://www.bishop-accountability.org/AtAGlance/lists.htm